Unit for track belts



Feb. 26 1924. 1,485,054

E. H. SAVAGE UNIT FOR TRACK BELTS Original Filed Dec. 26; 1918 l-llm EDWIN E. SAVAGE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND TRACTOR COMPANY, OF EUCLID, OHIO, A. CORPORATION GE CEO.

UNIT FOR TRACK BELTS.

Application filed December 26, 1918, Serial No. 268,278. Renewed December 14, 1921. Serial No. 522,898.

To all whom it may comem:

Be it known that I, EDWIN H. SAVAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and State of (dhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Units for Track Belts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is a pressed steel link unit which when hinged to other similar link units will produce a chain that is admirably adapted for use as the endless track of a track laying tractor.

The invention consists in the combinations of parts shown in the drawing and hereinafter described as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation or" two of said links, pivoted together; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of said two links, with the front ends of link rails of the front link partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of one side of one link, the section being in the plane of line 33 on Fig. 1; Fig. 4.- is a rear end view of one of said links; Fig. 5 is a front end view; and Fig. 6 is a sectional front view, the section being in the plane indicated by line 66 on Fig. 1.

The link unit is composed of three main pressed steel members, to wit, a shoe 10,

whose front end is turned down to form a ground engaging rib l2, and two link rails 15, 15, which are counterparts except that they are rights and lefts. These two link 1 rails are preferably formed separately, but

obviously could be bent -from a single piece of metal. Each rail is in theform of an inverted fiat U, that is to say, it is composed of a flat top member 16, and two downwardly bent sides 17 each of which has a foot 18 that rests upon and is riveted or otherwise secured to the shoe. These sides are the full height of the rail only near the rear ends thereof. At the front and middle parts of the rails these sides are in the form of downturned strengtheningflanges. The top member 16 of each rail is made much longer than the rail, and is bent downward and rearward to form a U-shaped loop 19, the end of said top member being carried against and riveted to the top side of the .shoe. The rivet goes through the shoe and the end of member 16, and up through the upper reach of said top member; and is surrounded by a sleeve 26, which serves to space apart the top and botom members of loop 19. A bushing 21 is fitted in the loop 19; and has in its side a vertical transverse groove 21, into which a part of the sleeve 26 lies. This loop 19 and the bushing-21 therein form a hinge eye for the reception of the pintle pin 27.

At the rear end of each rail, the two sides 17 extend beyond the top member forming and hinge between the sides or the rail.

In assembling the described units to form a chain, the two hinge eyes at the front end of each link go between the two pairs of ears at the rear end of the adjacent link, and the pintle pin 27 goes transversely through both pairs of ears, and through both bushings.

he top member of each unit extends over the hinge eye or" the adjoining unit forming a continuous track surface and the link rails 15 of each link will be aligned with those of adjacent links and will form wide surfaced tracks for the weight supporting wheels of the tractor.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A chain unit comprising, in combination, a shoe, and two parallel track rails secured thereon, each consisting of an inverted U-shaped rail whose sides extend rearward beyond the top as ears, and which has at its front end a forwardly extended hinge eye adapted to fit between the two ears of an adjacent similar link.

2. A chain unit comprising, in combination, a shoe, and two parallel track rails secured thereon, each consisting of an in.- verted til-shaped rail whose sides extend rearward beyond the top as cars, and whose top extends forward beyond the sides and is bent downward and rearward as a U-shaped loop and is secured near its end to said shoe.

3. A chain unit comprising, in combination, a shoe, and two parallel track rails secured thereon, each consisting of an inverted U-shaped rail whose sides extend rear ward beyond the top' as ears, and whose top extends forward beyond the sides and is bent downward and rearward as a U-sha. ed loop and is secured near its end to said s 0e,

and aligned b said loops.

4. A chain unit eomprls 1n combination, a shoe, and two para el trackralls secured thereon, each consist' of an mverted U-shaped rail whose sides extend rearward Beyond the top as ears, and whose top extends forward beyond the sides and is bent downward and rearward as a U-sha ed loop and is secured near its end to said s oe, a spacing member interposed between the upper and lower parts of 'SBld loop, and a rivet which goes through and secures together the shoe, the lower end of the loopthe spacing member, and the upper part 0 the loop.

5. A chain unit comprisin 1n comblnation, a shoe, and two para el track rails secured thereon, each consistin of an inverted U-shaped rail whose sides extend rearward beyond the top as cars and whose to extends forward beyond the sides at the ot er end and is bent downward and rearward as a U-shaped loop and overlies and engages said shoe, a spacing member interposed between the upper and lower parts of said loop, a rivet which goes through and secures to ether theshoe, the lower end of the loop, the spacing member, and the upper part of the loop, a bushing fitted to and secured within each loop, and having a transverse groove into which said spacing member projects.

6. In a chain for tracklaying tractors, a shoe, a link rail formed from a single piece of sheet metal comprising a track surface looped under at one end andsides bent down from said track surface, and means securin the looped end of said track surface and sai sides with said shoe.

7. In a chain for tracklaying tractors, a shoe, a link rail comprising a track surface looped thereunder at one end and sides depending from the opposite end thereof, said loop and sides supporting the track surface in spaced relation with said shoe, and means securing said sides and said looped-under track portion to said shoe.

8. In a chain for tracklaying tractors, a shoe, a link rail having a horizontal track surface turned under at one end forming a loop and sides extending downwardly and rearwardly from said track surface formin ears, said ears being provided with aligned holes therein, and means securing the end of said loop and said sides to said shoe.

9. In a chain for tracklaying tractors, a

shoe alink rail formed from a single piech of sheet metal having a track sur ace and turned down sides, said sides having their rear portion extending a ainst said shoe and their forward portion orming a reinforcing flangg secured tween the forward portion of said track surface and said shoe, and means securing the rear portions of said extended sides and the forward portion of said track surface with said shoe.

10. In a chain unit for tracklaying tractors a shoe, and a link rail comprising a trac surface, sides depending from said rail surface having feet secured to said shoe, and a loop at one end of said track surface havin the end thereof secured to said shoe.

11. n a chain unit for tracklaying tractors, a shoe, a-link rail comprisin a track surface having one end extending orwardly and turned down to form a loop, sides depending from said track surface and secured to said shoe, a spacer extending between said track surface and the inner end of said loop, and means securing said loop to said shoe and securing said spacer within said loop.

12. In a chain unit for tracklaying tractors, a shoe, a link rail comprising a track surface having one end extending forwardly and turned under to form a loop, a sleeve extending between the track surface and the end of the loop, and a bolt extendin through said shoe, loop, spacer and tracfi surface to secure said parts together.

13. In a chain unit for tracklaying tractors, a shoe, a link rail secured to said shoe having a loop extending forwardly thereof at one end, a spacer secured within said loop, and a bushing extending within said loop having a grooved portion ada ted to abut said spacer to secure said bus ing in position within said loop.

14. In a chain unit for tracklaying tractors, a shoe having a longitudinal slot at one end, a link rail com rism a track surface having sides exten ing ownwardly and rearwardly therefrom forming ears and a forwardly projecting loop, and means for securing said rail link upon said shoe, said ears being positioned on each side of the slot whereb permitting the loop of an adjacent rail to project therein and form a continuous rail surface.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

EDWIN H. SAVAGE.

for said track surface, a support- 

